Former Claret Lee on the move

26 Aug 2010 13:37:53

Striker Alan Lee, a Stan Ternent signing from Aston Villa in 1999, has left Crystal Palace and dropped down a division to sign a deal with Huddersfield Town. On the surface it looks a surprise deal with Lee having started all of Palace's games this season, scoring twice in the league win against Palace and then the Carling Cup victory over Yeovil Town. However, the very terse comments on Palace's web site suggest maybe all was not well.Having signed from Villa, he subsequently has been with Rotherham, Cardiff and Ipswich before arriving in South London two years ago, just a few months after Burnley tried and failed in their attempts to bring him back to Turf Moor.At the time it was suggested that Lee didn't want to move from his Suffolk base, but he's now moved to West Yorkshire and signed for Huddersfield for the next two years.Town manager Lee Clark said on completing the signing: "I'm very happy to welcome Alan to the club. He's an international footballer who has played at levels above this and in League One during the early parts of his career as well. He has been a success wherever he has been."We have been looking for a different type of striker to compliment the others we already have at the club, so in that sense I'm really happy with this acquisition. Alan will take the load off the younger strikers, who had done brilliantly. It's really tough up there given some of the defenders you come up against and now they have someone alongside them."Lee explained that he was told before the season started that Palace had accepted an offer for him but was told by manager George Burley not to think about it and to concentrate on his game."Once I knew Crystal Palace had accepted a bid that changed things," Lee admitted. "You always like to feel wanted and I've heard some brilliant things about Huddersfield Town from people I respect in the game."On his ambition with Huddersfield, he said: |"I've been playing on my own at Palace and it's been very tough. I've been a typical target man, but I feel like there is more to my game. I think I can still run in behind and I am here to score goals."